The 26th Mercosur Presidential Summit got off to the worst possible start when just hours before it was due to begin Argentina decided to impose restrictions on certain Brazilian imports, in a bid to protect its domestic industry. But by the time the gathering ended, significant progress had been made on several issues, and the row between Buenos Aires and Brasilia appeared to have subsided. Among the most important agreements was the decision to accept Mexico and Venezuela as associate members of Mercosur, a status already enjoyed by Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Mercosur went on to invite Mexico to continue free trade talks, with a view towards its eventual full admission to the South American trade bloc.